These are the shameful results of decades of budget cuts on Beacon Hill that have shifted the cost of a public college education to students and families, especially those who can least afford to pay the fees.

“We already knew Massachusetts had the second-fastest growth in student loan debt in the nation, and today’s results just add insult to injury,” said Zac Bears, executive director of PHENOM. “Students and families are being saddled with massive student loan debt that will take them decades to pay off. It’s time to fund our public colleges and build a Debt Free Future for all.”

Students, families, educators, and the community are joining together to support the Fund Our Future bill during the new legislative session in January. This bill would ensure that we have a foundation-level of funding for both K-12 public schools and our public colleges and universities.

Students and workers from our public colleges have also developed debt-free college legislation, which state lawmakers will introduce in January. This proposal will guarantee a debt-free public college education to all Massachusetts residents enrolled at a community college, state university, or UMass campus.